WCRJ P.M. # 4308 WCRJ 2016; 3 (1): e652 POLYSACCHARIDE FROM LENTINUS EDODES FOR INTEGRATIVE CANCER TREATMENT: IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS ON LYMPHOCYTE POPULATION A. DEL BUONO1, M. BONUCCI2, S. PUGLIESE3, A. D’ORTA4, M. FIORANELLI5 1MMG ASL CE, Caserta, Italy 2Integrative Oncology, Casa di Cura San Feliciano, Rome, Italy 3CETAC, Research Center, Caserta, Italy 4DD Clinic, Caserta, Italy 5Integrative Oncology, Università degli Studi “Guglielmo Marconi”, Rome, Italy Abstract – Background: Fungal alpha and β-glucans have been used as therapeutic support for thousands of years in Eastern culture. Lentinan, the backbone of β-(1, 3)-glucan with β-(1, 6) branch es, is the main ingredient purified from Shiitake mushrooms and has been approved as a biological response modifier for the treatment of gastric cancer in Japan. Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is an alpha-glucan rich nutritional supplement derived from the mycelia of shii- take (Lentinula edodes) of the basidiomycete family of mushrooms, a popular integrative medicine in Japan. Lentinan may exert a synergistic action with anti-cancer monoclonal antibodies to modu- late complement systems activity through the way of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and complement dependent cytotoxicity. Patients and Methods: Seven subjects with adenocarcinoma diagnosis (pancreatic, lung, colorectal) were recruited, and treated with AHCC (3 g/die). Lymphocyte typing assays were performed by cytofluorometry (Abbott CELL-DYN Ruby) at start (T0) and after one month from AHCC administration (T1). Results: After one month, neutrophils increased from 41% to 54%; lymphocytes and monocytes decreased, respectively, from 45% to 30% and 10% to 1%; lymphocyte population relationships variations: CD3/CD4 increased from 16% to 30%, CD3/CD8 (suppressor) decreased from 53% to 24%; CD4/CD8 increased from 0.3% to 1.3%; CD3+/CD16+/CD56 Natural Killer (NK) cells increased from 113% to 151%; CD8/CD3 (suppressor/cytotoxic) increased from 3% to 5%. Conclusion: Results showed that immunological effects provided by a-glucans, a possible mode of action of lentinan (not only β-glucan mediated), should enable us to use lentinan more efficient- ly in the treatment of cancer, and its clinical application, including future potential uses of alpha and beta glucans association. KEYWORDS: Fungal β-glucans, a-glucans, Shiitake mushrooms, Lymphocyte typing, Anticancer natural remedies. INTRODUCTION chains. β-glucans may influence the immune system and modulate innate immune responses1,2. Certain β-glucans categories of glucans, as like as zymosan and len- tinan, can anyway significantly stimulate phagocy- β-glucans are composed of a diverse group of glu- tosis3. Moreover, β-glucans induce macrophages to cose polymers, with a backbone of β-(1, 3)–linked synthesize cytokines, and modulate adaptive im- β-D-glucopyranosyl units with β-(1, 6) linked side munity via a complex mechanism that involves both Corresponding Author: Armando D’Orta, MD; e-mail: [email protected] 1 B and T cells. The immunomodulatory effects of decreases serum levels of IL-6 and PGE2 in pa- β-glucans in terms of immune response can some- tients with digestive tract cancer26 and might times be of no significance, probably due to differ- avert the Th2- predominant balancement. Conse- ences in the degree of branching, polymer length, quently, lentinan promotes Th1 polarization and and tertiary structures among β-glucans. rebalances Th1 - Th2 equilibrium. Some stud- The B and T cells constitute the basic support ies show that, with the evolution of cancer, the for the immune system. With the analysis of the proportion of granulocytes grows in peripheral subfamilies of T cells and B cells, it is possible to blood27. Granulocytes decrease the antineoplastic obtain information on the efficiency of the immune competence of lymphocytes and lymphocyte-ac- system of an individual. B cells produce antibod- tivated tumor cell killing28,29; so, the raised num- ies to mediate humoral immunity, whereas T cells bers of granulocytes facilitate tumor growth by induce cell-mediated immunity. To the complex decreasing tumor-suppressing lymphocytes. The system of the adaptive immune response, dendritic cancer-related G-CSF may explain the increase cells also participate, presenting antigens to T cells in granulocytes, and the higher granulocytes/ for the activation of immune responses. Several lymphocytes ratio (G/L ratio) in the advanced lines of evidence indicate an alteration of dendritic stage, compared to the earlier stage30,31. Other pa- cells in neoplastic disease4,5. β-glucans contribute pers show that the administration of lentinan in to improve DCs antigen presentation mechanism6, cancer patients, has effect in G-CSF serum lev- thereby inducing tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells. els reduction, this could also possibly reduce the Moreover, when the Fc region of an immuno- G/L ratio. Because of the ease with this ratio may globulin interacts with receptors for the Fc domain be estimated, even in a retrospective analysis, the of IgG on leucocytes, numerous biological effects G/L ratio was chronologically evaluated using as are triggered: phagocytosis, enhancement of an- a parameter its immunological action, in a group tigen presentation and release of inflammatory of subjects treated with chemotherapy alone and mediators6,7. β-glucans were reported to enhance another group treated with chemotherapy and len- the expression of FcgR, a meeting point between tinan. At the beginning of chemotherapy, the G/L specific humoral responses and cellular immunity, ratio was almost the same with or without lenti- 8 and the activation of complements9,10. For this rea- nan administration. On the other hand, at 1 year son, beta glucans may be considered as adjuvants after the start of chemotherapy or 1 month before in cancer therapies with monoclonal antibodies11,12. exitus (when the survival time was less than 1 β-glucans are recognized via a number of cell year after starting chemotherapy), the G/L ratio of surface receptors by the immune system as non- subjects treated with lentinan was maintained at self molecules, inducing both innate and adaptive or below 2, value significantly lower than patients immune responses13,14. Several receptors have who received chemotherapy alone32 (p < 0.001). been identified in humans, and these include Dec- tin-1, the toll-like receptor (TLR), complement a-glucans receptor type 3 (CR3), scavenger receptors, and lactosylceramide (LacCer). AHCC is a cultured mycelium extract obtained It is known that, in oncological disease, dendritic from Lentinus edodes of Basidiomycete mush- cells have functional defects, with down regulation rooms fermented in rice bran33. The main compo- of T and NK cells15,16. Lentinan use was reported nents of AHCC are a-glucans, which are derived to improve the generation of both killer T cells and from the processed mushrooms. These glucans are NK cells17,18 and then rebalance killer/suppressor T thought to provide a carbohydrate that stimulates cells19. Lentinan up-regulated NK cell-mediated de- immune response34,35. Chemical analysis showed struction of neoplastic cells20,21 probably because of that AHCC is composed mainly of low molecular improved FcR expression, which could be related weight oligosaccharides (~5000 MW), of which to ADCC augmentation. The addition of Lentinan 20%-30% are α-1,4 hexose linked. The mycelia promotes the activation of both pathways of com- of basidiomycetes (mushroom root threads) are plement22 and enhances CDC and complement-de- cultured for 45-60 days and then subjected to en- pendent cell-mediated cytotoxicity via CR3. On the zymatic reaction, sterilization, concentration, and other hand, we could say at this point that immuno- freeze drying sequentially. AHCC is available as a therapy with lentinan might be used in conjunction freeze-dried powder, and has been widely used in with monoclonal antibodies therapy23,24. Japan as a dietary supplement for over 20 years and Lentinan, by interacting with specific recep- is currently used in China and the U.S. The immu- tors, actives macrophages and monocytes induc- nological effects of AHCC are well documented. ing IL-12 production25, although the process is For example, murine thymic apoptosis induced by not completely clear yet. Furthermore, lentinan dexamethasone could be prevented by pretreat- 2 POLYSACCHARIDE FROM LENTINUS EDODES FOR INTEGRATIVE CANCER TREATMENT ment with AHCC36. Administration of AHCC re- been found48. Matsui et al49 have found AHCC re- sulted in increased cell proliferation and cytokine duces the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma production in spleen and increased nitric oxide and and adverse events associated with chemotherapy cytokine production in peritoneal cells of mice in in a human prospective cohort study. However, the a hindlimb unloading model of spaceflight condi- mechanisms of action of AHCC are still poorly tions37. In addition, AHCC could stimulate prolif- understood, and conflicting evidence suggests the eration of NK cells and killer T-cells, and produc- need for further investigation50. tion of IL-12 and TNFα38,39. In accordance with its immunomodulatory function, the beneficial effects PATIENTS AND METHODS of AHCC supplementation on survival and the immune response to a variety of infectious agents Seven subjects with adenocarcinoma diagnosis have been demonstrated in animals40-42. In humans, were recruited and treated with AHCC (3 g/die) AHCC has been reported to improve the prognosis